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Key Points Rain Phoenix describes how losing River led to a "vibrant relationship with death." She studied the death-positive movement and trained to become a death doula. Joaquin Phoenix calls River "the guiding light in some ways" of their family. Rain Phoenix is reflecting on how her brother’s death forever shaped her view of life — and her relationship with mortality. In an emotional new essay published on Another Jane Pratt Thing on Friday, October 31, the 52-year-old actress shared that losing River Phoenix at just 23 years old led her to what she calls a “vibrant relationship with death.” The actor died of an accidental drug overdose outside The Viper Room in 1993, a tragedy that Rain says she initially coped with by “shutting it out.” “But that somehow kept him from me,” she wrote, per Page Six, marking the 32nd anniversary of her brother’s passing. “Now 32 years and many losses later, a deepening curiosity about death, grief and how we as a society process it, has come alive for me.” That curiosity inspired Rain to study the “death-positive movement,” a growing cultural shift that encourages people to speak openly about death and dying. During the pandemic, she even trained to become a “death doula,” a person who supports others emotionally and spiritually through the dying process. “My anxiety led me to take an online course on how to become a death doula and write a million songs,” she explained. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 River, who rose to fame in the 1980s with roles in Stand by Me, The Mosquito Coast, and Running on Empty, remains one of Hollywood’s most celebrated talents gone too soon. His younger brother, actor Joaquin Phoenix, has also reflected on River’s lasting impact, recently describing him on This Past Weekend as “the guiding light in some ways” of their family.
